1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bracket, which is used for fixing an accessory installed in a vehicle, such as a sun visor, to a panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A bracket is used when an accessory such as a sun visor installed in a vehicle is fixed to a panel. A certain kind of bracket has a connector additionally disposed for supplying electric current to a night lamp of the sun visor. The connector is electrically connected to a flat cable wired on the vehicle side.
For such a bracket as to be applied to electric connection, the bracket disclosed in JP 2002-124340 A is conventionally known. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a connector 100 includes a connector housing 101 with a cable wiring surface 101a on its top surface and a cover 102 covering the cable wiring surface 101a of the connector housing 101. A number of pressure welding edges 103 are disposed upright at intervals on the cable wiring surface 101a of the connector housing 101. Male terminals (not shown in the figures) connected to the pressure welding edges 103 are disposed in terminal receptacles (not shown in the figures) of the connector housing 101.
A procedure of pressure welding operation in pressure welding a flat cable 105 electrically to the connector 100 is as follows. First, a midway portion of the flat cable 105 is placed above the pressure welding edges 103 and then the cover 102 is disposed over the flat cable 105. Next, pressing the cover 102 toward the connector housing 101, the flat cable 105 pushed by the cover 102 cuts into the pressure welding edges 103 to connect each conductor 105a of the flat cable 105 to the pressure welding edges 103 by pressure welding. Finally, the procedure of the pressure welding operation is completed by means of mounting the cover 102 on the connector housing 101.
Using the connector 100, each conductor 105a of the flat cable 105 is connected at a touch to the pressure welding edges 103 by pressure welding, through placing the flat cable 105 on and the cover 102 over the cable wiring surface 101a and then pressing the cover 102.
Since the pressure welding edges 103 are connected electrically to the male terminals, the pressure welding edges 103 and the male terminals can be integrated in one body with the bus bar circuits. Therefore, the number of components of the connector can be reduced and also the ease of setting up the connector is enhanced.
However, since the pressure welding edges 103 are integrally formed as a part of every bus bar circuit, the bus bar circuits are disposed on the cable wiring surface 101a of the connector housing 101 in an exposed state. Therefore, each conductor 105a is wired so as to pass above each cite of the bus bar circuit except the pressure welding edge. In the case above, since a coated portion of each conductor 105a can touch directly the bus bar circuit, an accidental short circuit between the conductor 105a and the bus bar circuit is liable to occur when the coated portion of the flat cable 105 is damaged.